Fading Shadows
by emmadotlouise
Summary: Sequel to Touya's Shadow. *WARNING* S+S mush. After, Nakuru reflects on her past and ... Touya. Something's changed between them... something that Nakuru wishes that hadn't happened. ***S+S and N+T!!!*** *one-shot*


Kia ora to everybody!! Things aren't going too badly for me and I hope that it's the same way for you!! ^-^

I'm writing a sequel to my fic, Touya's Shadow, and if you can't stand Nakuru/Touya, then I wouldn't read it. Sorry if you dislike the pairing, but personally, this is a new one for me and it's the first time I've attempted a fic with this pairing. All my other ones have been S+S and E+T. There is a bit of S+S in here anyway. ^-^ For the first half of the fic, it focuses on S+S. Lots of S+S mushy stuff here!!

Also, if I have "I", it means it's from Sakura's POV.

Key

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*********- change of POV

"…" –talking

*…* -thinking

'…' –daydreaming

… -telepathy

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Fading Shadows**

**"Onii-chan!!!!" I yelled. "Don't do that!!!" I thumped downstairs and thumped Touya on the way. "DON'T CALL ME KAIJUU!!!!!!!!!!!"**

**"Whatever, Kaijuu."**

**"URGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Onii-chan, stop calling me that!!!" I stomped downstairs, startling Kero on the way who was stuffing pies down Spinel's throat. "Kero-chan, leave Spinel-san alone."**

**Kero looked at me with a condescending look. "I still haven't got my answers and Spinel won't tell me!!!!"**

**Spinel made a choking sound in his throat as the pie tipped down his small mouth.**

**"SPINEL!!!!!!!!! TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!"**

**Spinel shook his head and got the evil look from Kero.**

**"Kero-chan, you be nice to Spinel-san," I said to Kero with a warning look. "****I don't want to hear any more choking sounds from Spinel-san, ok?"**

**"Yes, Sakura-chan."**

**I gave one last look at Kero before heading out the door to school. My head hung, Syaoran still hadn't returned from Hong Kong yet, and I missed him so much. It had been a few weeks since I had created the Hope Card, yet I still missed him. I took the Card out of my bag. It was a red heart with two white wings, one on either side of the heart. I looked at it with a vague smile and a lone crystal tear dripped down my face. I wiped it away and turned the Card over so that my seal was facing me, then I took out the key that held my staff. I thought back to when Syaoran had helped me transform the Light and Dark Cards; I never had a chance to thank him for that. *I have to see him!* I thought. Holding the key out in front of me, I chanted, "Key to the star with powers burning bright, reveal the staff and shine your light. Release!" I took the staff from where it was standing upright and called out, "Hope! Take me to Syaoran!" **

**(AN: So I have to watch the American series! So sue me!! Got any better ideas! I don't know how to speak Japanese!)**

**This was the first time I had called on the Hope Card. In a swirl of red streams of light, the floating heart appeared and looked at me for a few seconds, awaiting my request. "Hope Card, please take me to Syaoran in Hong Kong."**

**I'm not sure I can do that, Sakura-sama. You may also have to use Fly.**

**"So be it." I went into my bag and pulled out the Fly Card. I looked at it as it hovered above my head. Lifting my staff above my head, I called, "Fly! Grant me my wings!" White wings formed on my back. "Hope, are we ready?"**

**Yes, Sakura-sama. Just give me a mental picture of the one you seek and I will try my best to find whoever you want.**

**I nodded and closed my eyes. I tried to think up an image of Syaoran and one came to mind immediately. "I'm ready, Hope."**

**OK, Sakura-sama. We will be there in a few seconds.**

**Yes, Hope.**

**I faded into the background along with my wings and the Hope Card, which wrapped itself around me, transporting me to Hong Kong… and Syaoran.**

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**(AN: Syaoran's POV. If there's "I" in this section, it's coming from Syaoran.)**

**Meiling walked through the house, looking for her cousin. "Syaoran, you in here?" she asked softly, knocking on his door.**

**"Leave me alone."**

**Meiling heaved a sigh. Ever since Syaoran had come home, he had been in his room and hadn't come out at all, even to eat. She turned the door handle and poked her head through the door. "Syaoran? You ok?"**

**"What do you think?" I looked at my cousin, she didn't look too happy. She seemed to be feeling sorry for me. I rolled over on my bed and closed my eyes. "Meiling, please leave me alone."**

**Meiling nodded. "Dinner's almost ready."**

**"I'm not hungry."**

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**(AN: Sakura's POV. If there's "I" in this section, it's coming from Sakura. I'm just trying not to confuse everybody… although I'm probably doing a really good job in confusing everyone anyway! ^-^)**

**I appeared without a sound and Hope floated back into my hand. "Thank you, Hope," I whispered with a smile and I looked around. Floating gently off the door, I clutched my staff in my left hand and looked around. "Anybody home?" someone was walking around stealthily and was coming in my direction. All of a sudden, a bolt of lightning came in my direction. I called, "Shield!" and raised my staff up to meet the Card. Shield appeared around me, creating a temporary barrier, for as long as my magic could hold out. I turned in the air and returned the Fly and Shield Cards. They floated into my free hand and I looked at my attacker. "Is this the home of Syaoran Li?"**

**"Why do you want to know?" the woman asked. I assumed she was Syaoran's mother.**

**"I'm just wondering where he is, I wanted to thank him. I'm from Tomoeda."**

**"Let me get this straight, you're from Tomoeda and you came all the way out to Hong Kong just to thank him?"**

**I nodded my head. "Yes. Do you know where he is?"**

**The woman sighed. "He's in his room. He's been in there ever since he got back from Tomoeda. He hasn't even come out for meals."**

**My eyes clouded over with concern. "What's wrong with him?" I asked. "Maybe I could cheer him up." *I hope I can,* I thought. I let my magic flow through the house, making my presence known.**

***********************************************************************

**(AN: Syaoran's POV for "I" in this section)**

**My head snapped up from the pillow. "Sakura? She's here?" I got up from my bed and ran down the stairs to see the girl with auburn hair talking to my mother. She turned to look at me with the smile I knew too well. "Sakura, it's you."**

**My mother looked confused. "Sakura? KINOMOTO Sakura?"**

**I nodded my head, a thousand different emotions running through me. "Yes, this is the Card Mistress of the former Clow Cards, now known as Star Cards. Kinomoto Sakura."**

**Sakura looked at me with a gentle smile.**

**My mother looked at me too, eyebrows raised. "So, Sakura, you transformed all the Cards?"**

**Sakura nodded. "Yes, I did. I transformed the Light and Dark Cards a few weeks ago. Syaoran, I have something to say to you. Can I talk to you?"**

**I nodded. "OK. We'll go to my room." I turned and Sakura followed behind me. I opened my door and shut it when she came through. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"**

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**(AN: Sakura's POV. If there's "I" anywhere in this section, then it's coming from Sakura.)**

**I took a deep breath. "Syaoran, there is something I really need to tell you. I never had a chance to thank you for helping me with the Light and Dark Cards. If you hadn't been there, then I couldn't have transformed them. I also have something more to show you." I called for the Hope Card to come to my hand. I turned it around to face Syaoran, its name facing him. "This is the Hope Card. When I got home after you told me that you were coming back, my seal appeared and the Hope Card appeared in my hands. I missed you so much and the Hope Card brought me to you."**

**Syaoran looked at me with a smile; I had only seen him smile in my presence. "Sakura, I have been missing you as well."**

**My eyes filled with tears; tears of happiness. "Syaoran," I murmured, stepping closer to him and hugging him as tight as I could. My arms wrapped around his neck and he wrapped his arms around my waist. I turned in his embrace to look at him and kissed him softly on his lips. When I pulled back, I whispered, "Syaoran, I love you."**

**Syaoran smiled at me. "I love you too, Sakura."**

**He smiled and lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me wholeheartedly. I kissed him back deeply. When oxygen became an issue, I pulled back and looked at Syaoran with love in my eyes. "Thank you, Syaoran, I think it's nearly time I returned home." I kissed him once more and then raised my staff to meet the Hope and Fly Cards. "Hope, Fly, take me back to Tomoeda!" My wings appeared on my back and the Hope Card released itself.**

**"Sakura!" I turned around to see Meiling at the door. "I heard that you were here from Syaoran's mother. How did you do it?"**

**I smiled. "Don't worry, Meiling, I used the Fly and Hope Cards. They took me here, I wanted to see Syaoran. Bye for now, Syaoran," I said with a smile.**

**Meiling walked out of the room and I kissed Syaoran goodbye.**

**"Remember, I love you, Syaoran, and never forget that. If you ever want to see me, feel free to come to my house in Tomoeda." I kissed him softly on the lips once more and then vanished into thin air.**

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**(AN: Syaoran's POV. If there's "I" anywhere in this section, then it's coming from Syaoran. Why am I repeating myself?? -_-;;)**

**I kissed Sakura back and hugged her once before she vanished. Her words stayed in my mind. I opened the door to find Meiling listening. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Listening in?" I queried.**

**Meiling gave me a guilty look. "Umm, I was just waiting for you."**

**"Meiling, you're not a very good liar, anyone ever told you that?" I said.**

**"Yeah, they have."**

**"OK. Listen, I think I might go back to Tomoeda and stay there for a while."**

**Meiling smiled slyly. "Would this have anything to do with a certain Card Mistress?"**

**"Maybe."**

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**(AN: Sakura's POV. If there's "I" anywhere in this section, it's coming from Sakura.)**

**I appeared back in my room at Tomoeda. "Yue-san! Keroberos-san! What are you doing here?"**

**"Keroberos told me that you used a new Card. May I have a look at it?" he looked down at me.**

**I nodded. "Yes, Yue-san, you can." I handed him the Hope Card and he took it from my hands. Floating it in the air with his magic, he studied it. "Sakura-sama, this is the first time that you have made a Card, isn't it?" he looked at me expectantly.**

**"It is, Yue-san. I missed Syaoran and the Hope Card just appeared in my hands after the magic circle appeared under my feet."**

**Yue looked at me and cocked his head. "Hmm…"**

**"Don't like the sound of that hmm."**

**"I'm just thinking."**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**(AN: Nakuru's POV. If there's "I" in this section, it's coming from Nakuru.)**

**"Eriol-sama! Spinel-san! Anyone here?" I bounded through the door.**

**"Hello, Nakuru. Spinel-san is over at Sakura-chan's house," my master walked through and greeted me.**

**"Hello, Eriol-sama." I heaved a sigh and walked through to the kitchen and opened the fridge, looking for something to eat. I grimaced when I saw that there was nothing there. "Eriol-sama, do you want me to go do the shopping?"**

**"She'd probably eat everything on the way back," Spinel said.**

**I gave Spinel a glare and turned my head to look at my master. "Thanks a lot, Suppi, I'll remember that the next time that I get chocolate for Kero and you."**

**"SORRY NAKURU!!!" Spinel shouted. He attached himself to my leg, "I won't be bad ever again, but PLEASE don't take away my chocolate!!!!!!!!!!"**

**I looked with a smile over Spinel's head to my master. "Eriol-sama?"**

**He nodded. "That would be very helpful, thank you, Nakuru."**

**"Ok then," I picked up my bag and walked over to my master. "Shopping list?" I asked.**

**"Sure," a piece of paper appeared in his hand and he handed it to me. "Thanks Nakuru," he said with a smile.**

**I smiled back brightly, "No problem!"**

**Walking out the door, I followed my usual route to the supermarket around the corner and down the end of the street, I walked, absorbed in my thoughts._ So much has changed since Mariki and I merged. Touya looks at me with more disgust than usual, I breathed a sigh, that one thought lingering in my mind longer than any other. __At first I was just teasing him, trying to get on his case, part of Eriol's plan. But now that all of that is over, I don't know why he's treating me like this anymore. Does he have a grudge against me or something? What have I done to deserve this?_**

****

Thinking about Touya brought back memories of what we had done together just those few short years ago. A lone tear dripped down my cheek and I swiped at it with the back of my hand. "What have I done?" I whispered, my hand immediately going to my face, I was trying hard to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill over. Usually I'm so bright and happy, some just don't even notice that I have feelings too. Even sometimes my own brother doesn't notice it. I may be a creature/guardian of magical creation, but that doesn't make me not a living thing.

I'm a human just as much as Yukito and Sakura. I wish Touya would treat me like a friend and not like a foe. It's as if he really hates me for some reason and I have no idea why. Flashbacks came into my mind...

==Flashback 1==

"Touya! Watch out!!" I flew down, ice crystal forming in my hand as I lurched it at the creature attacking Touya. I tackled him out of the way from the side; he was just standing there. "Touya! You don't have your magic anymore, you can't defend yourself against any magical creatures. You're completely vulnerable." I helped him to his feet and he looked at me coldly. "I don't need your help, I was fine." He pushed me away and stalked off.

I was going to chase after him, but the creature lunged at me once again. Turning to it, I muttered, "When will you ever learn?"

==End of Flashback 1, Start of Flashback 2==

"Just leave me alone!" he shouted at me. "I don't need any help from anyone, ESPECIALLY you!!!!" He slammed the door in my face.

I looked concerned at the door once before turning around, stiffening a cry, and fazing out.

==End of Flashback 2, Start of Flashback 3==

 He was doing it again. Shutting me out. Why is he always doing this to me? I've never done anything to harm him. I approached him silently and tapped his shoulder. He looked around, happiness shining in his eyes, but as soon as he saw me, his features hardened and he gave me the iciest look I had ever seen. "Akizuki-san, I have told you over and over. PLEASE leave me alone!"

Tears flooded in my eyes and I turned and dashed down the halls. Touya just looked blandly down. He didn't seem to care for me at all, not one bit.

==End of Flashback 3==

I stumbled my way through the errands that I had to run and took some time out at the park by sitting down on a bench and dumping the bags down beside me. I placed my head in my hands and heaved a deep sigh. Leaning my weight on my knees, I pulled my knees up to my chin and wrapped my arms around my crouched legs. I rested my chin on my knees and looked over at the fountain at the middle of the park, a short distance away from where I was sitting. I watched young children play on the penguin slide, sliding down it, playing with friends, enjoying themselves. _I wish I could have done that, I thought. __But I never had the chance. I was just created and POOF I was a teenager going to high school, missing out on all the activities of childhood. Sakura and Touya were lucky to live in a place like this and go to primary school. I've missed out on so much that so many people have had. Why? Why me? Why couldn't I just have been a regular kid who enjoyed all these things? Even Mariki enjoyed these things. My best friend. She was a kid, I wasn't. She had been created long before I had. My purpose here is to protect my master, yet I feel that there's so much that I haven't experienced. Feelings were always going to be a part of me that I never really experienced. I was never meant to feel sad, or lonely… I closed my eyes for a second. __Why?_

I opened my eyes again and realised why Touya had been so cold to me lately. Once a year, cherry blossoms were in their perfect state, a beautiful flower. Tomoeda was covered with cherry blossom trees and the day, 12th May was when they were perfect. It was also his mother's anniversary. _So, that's why… I thought. I smiled slightly. My eyes closed again and I sank into my thoughts once again._

I heard a voice and jerked out of my thoughts. "Akizuki-san?"

I turned my head and saw Touya standing there. "What is it?" I asked.

"I'm really sorry about the way I've been treating you and everyone lately. "I've been so cold and distant and I've yelled at you so much. I'm sorry."

I smiled inwardly. _It must be really hard for him to say this. "No problem," I said, tilting my head and smiling at him. "It must always be hard around this time of year," I said, looking concerned. In some strange way, I understood what he meant. "It's always been hard for me, I've missed out so much."_

Touya sat down next to me. "How? You're always so happy and much to my pain, hyper," he added with a smile.

"Basically noone understands because they've never been put in my position. I've missed out so much being what I am. I missed out the majority of childhood and a major part of being a teenager. I would give up my magic just to have a normal life, but there's so much I can do being what I am. I can protect whoever I feel for. Life starts at the beginning and I've missed out sixteen years of that. I go to university, and half of high school, but I never go to primary because I was created to look this age. I can hardly go to school as Ruby Moon can I." One tear slowly slid down each cheek. "You've had so much more than I have. You were living in this world long before I was. I wish I could experience being young, but I can't, because of who I am… People also think I have no feelings. But that's not true. Even creatures have feelings, otherwise I could never be happy, hyper or sad, as I'm feeling now… I don't know how people can think that of me. There's so much I wish I had experienced even half of it. Mariki experienced everything, she was a child, and she was in your class at primary school. Remember Rika Kirahashi? She was Mariki as a child," I said with a smile as I watched him taking this in.

These thoughts had been rambling around in my head for at least a year or so now. Touya was the first one to hear about them, outside of myself. I'm usually not one for exposing feelings, but these ones I couldn't keep hidden for long.

******************************************************************

Touya was absorbing all this. He had never expected Nakuru for one to open up and tell her feelings. She always seemed so… happy and serene. As if nothing in life bothered her. "Nakuru…"

I looked up at him. "Yeah?" _For once, he actually called me by my first name…_

Touya turned his face to look at me. "I understand what you're saying. Things were different when Yukito was having the dizzy spells and I suspected he was Yue. There was something different about him then. You've changed a lot, even without magic, I can see that," he smiled at me, for once looking like he actually meant it.

My eyes widened. "Really? How can you tell?" I asked.

Touya smiled softly and said, "I just can."

"Thank you." I stood up and brushed the dust off my pant legs.

Touya stood up too and he was so close to me, I could feel his usual stare on me.

I turned around and said, "Thanks for listening, Touya. I really appreciate it. You're a very good listener."

Touya smiled. "Ditto." And he leant forward and softly kissed me.

_WHOA!!!!!!! Is this really happening to me?!?!?!?!_

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Well? What was that like? Was the sequel ok? I know there was heaps of S+S mush in the first half.

As for Nakuru, I tried to portray the emotional side of her. We barely saw it in the anime and this is how thought she would be. She may be a little OOC...

Please read and review!!  
  
Karisa Temura


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